Part 1

EXCERPTED:

A Literary Salon in the House of Statianus. The audience is greeted and seated by Statianus, who addresses them personally and cordially as his guests.
When the house is full:

STATIANUS
Gentle ladies and noble knights of Rome:
On this, the eve of his greatest crowning,
Do I, Ceasarnius Statianus,
Thy most grateful host and humble servant,
Ask you each to rise and be respectful
For the Emperor and light of the world –
Ceasar Trajanus Hadrian Augustus!

(Enter Hadrian, followed by Antinous. Hadrian nods and smiles at the audience as Antinous is directed into one of 2 reserved seats in the centre of the front row.)

Hail Caesar! And say us all: Hail Caesar!
HADRIAN
A steadfast and glorious friend thou art,
Statianus, who, with grand ideals,
Doth well effect this welcome distraction
From the morrow’s mighty obligations.

Hadrian sits down beside Antinous, allowing the audience to sit as well.

STATIANUS
‘Tis thee alone who deems them onerous,
My liege. To all thine ecstatic servants,
Such grim degrees be jubilantly dressed.
And now, company, let us breathe deeply.
Let us consecrate our ears to the full
Attention of a most erotic mind.
Returned again to Rome from near abroad
Is that grand and astonishing sophist
Who hath agreed this night to regale us.
By the blessing of mighty Jupiter
And the smile of every beloved god,
I do hereby present to you the man
That’s not a man, yet more a man than most.
Let us all be moved by Favorinus!

Enter Favorinus the hermaphrodite. He nods once at Statianus but does not acknowledge anyone else.
He stands upon the stage — alone and self-possessed. He takes as long as he needs. Finally, he raises his hand in traditional speaking stance, and begins:

FAVORINUS
Friends, Romans, Emperors – lend me your tears,
And willingly by my sweet voice be moved.
For here, upon this dias, I do pledge
To journey you more profoundly in word
Than Alexander, who, ‘cross vanquished worlds,
Toiled, traipsed, took Asia… and finally died.

(Hadrian laughs.)

Friends, Romans, Catamites – lend me your peers,
For by the constant prick of potent truth
Shall I on thy quivering backsides erect
A Trajan’s column to thy condition.

(Hadrian laughs again – loudly and with abandon.)

Friends, Romans, Fffffffavourites – lend me your cheers,
For this oration doth belong to thee.
Aye. Aye, ‘tis true: ‘Tis my topic this eve.
Tonight I argue for the Favourite!

(Hadrian laughs uncomfortably.)

But wait! Heart! I have a one forgotten;
Omitted from my most reverent greetings
A noteworthy and scrupulous presence.
Let me see: I must think and recollect.
Friends, Romans, Emperors – lend me your tears.
Friends, Romans, Catamites – lend me your peers.
Friends, Romans, Favourites – lend me your cheers.

(Pause.)

Ah, yes. Antinous. Lend me your fears.
For skillfully and by painful practice
Shall I so endeavour to dispel them.
How mischievous of me to forget you;
To exclude, overlook and neglect you –
As tho’ to do so might compel us all
To wonder why thou art avoided so
As Hadrian’s Favourite Catamite.

Hadrian stands, struggling to control his anger.

HADRIAN
By the gods, Favorinus, you test me.

END OF EXCERPT.